Council Names New GM for Strategy & Growth
Phil Stone, a senior local government leader with 20 years experience driving economic development and growth, has been appointed Mildura Rural City Council’s new General Manager Strategy and Growth.
Mr Stone will lead the following branches within the Strategy and Growth department:
Mr Stone’s appointment follows an exhaustive and competitive nation-wide recruitment process to fill this crucial position.
Council’s Chief Executive Officer Martin Hawson said while Mr Stone has a diverse range of leadership experience in the local government sector, his proven track record in economic development, tourism and planning made him the perfect fit for the role.
This includes successfully leading economic development, tourism, land use planning and development, and the arts during stints as Chief Executive Officer at Edward River Council, General Manager City Development at Latrobe City Council and Director Development Services at South Gippsland Shire Council.
His career achievements include:
Mr Stone said he was looking forward to commencing in the role on September 22.
“I have fond memories of visiting Mildura as a child to spend time with my grandparents, which has given me a strong connection to the area,” he said.
“I am passionate about engaging with people and building meaningful relationships with the community. I also take great satisfaction in supporting staff to grow their skills and advance their careers. For me, Mildura represents the ideal opportunity—both personally and professionally.”
Mr Stone said his initial focus would be to familiarise himself and make connections within the community.
“I’m keen to meet with stakeholders and the community to better understand what drives and what holds back investment in Mildura,” he said. “Ultimately my job will be to try and uplift investment in the region.
“By listening to developers, business owners, and government partners, I can build a clear picture of the opportunities ahead. I’m also looking forward to supporting the priorities already in place within Council and helping drive them forward.”
While Mr Stone’s career is littered with proven results and success, he said he felt it was important to address his departure as Edward River Council Chief Executive Officer last year in the interests of openness and transparency with the Mildura community.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t a friendly parting of the ways. My position was terminated (by Councillors) without reason and had nothing to do with my performance,” Mr Stone said.
“I’m very proud of my tenure at Edward River, despite the way it ended.
“There were some rather challenging political circumstances we just couldn’t get through, however we achieved a lot at Edward River and formed a great team in the four years I was there.”
Mr Hawson said Mr Stone was upfront regarding his departure from Edward River Council from the outset.
“Of course we looked thoroughly into the matter, however based on our own investigation there was no reflection on Phil’s competency and ability to do the job,” he said.
“His experience and success speak for themselves, and we look forward to seeing similar results within Mildura Rural City Council.”
https://www.mildura.vic.gov.au/Latest-News/Council-appoints-new-General-Manager-Strategy-and-Growth